| OCR Text |
Show 189 of irritation to the bites inflicted. All species of mosquitoes require water for the development of the larvae and pupae. Fortunately, mosquito larvae and pupae cannot survive in the brine water of the Great Salt Lake. Thus, all mosquito breeding is confined to the fresh water bordering the Lake. Unfortunately, however, adult females of several species can fly many miles in search of a blood meal. Only the females are capable of taking a blood meal, while the males confine their feeding to plant and other available fluids. Eleven species of adult mosquitoes representing four genera have been reported as collected in the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake. Both larvae and adults of the following species have been collected: Aedes campestris Dyar and Knab; Aedes dorsalis ( Meigen); Aedes fitohii ( Felt and Young); Aedes nigvomaoulis ( Ludlow); Aedes niphadopsis Dyar and Knab; Culex erythrothorax Dyar; Culex pipiens Lin.; Culex tarsalis Coq.; and Culiseta inornata ( Will.). Adults only have been collected of Anopheles fveebovni Aitken; and Aedes vexans ( Meigen), indicating that they are apparently migrants from other localities. Some of these species, such as A. nigvomaoulis and A. niphadopsis, inhabit very localized areas but are sometimes abundant and extremely annoying where found. Other species are rare and seldom annoying. A. dorsalis is the most important pest species at the Great Salt Lake and vicinity. The females are vicious biters and strong fliers. Each female lays approximately 130 eggs which hatch within a few days under favorable conditions or remain viable for several years if conditions are not favorable. The winter is passed in the egg stage and the first larvae generally appear in March. |
